Announcement: Utopiacon

As of now, I’m no longer accepting appearances in the US and will not be traveling there in the foreseeable future. Here’s the email I sent, regarding my withdrawal.

This matter has been ​weighing heavily on my heart since the election in November, and I have ruminated on great length as to what the right decision is regarding my appearance at Utopiacon in June. I’ve always done my utmost to keep my commitments, but after much reflection, I must cancel this particular engagement. It is no reflection on the efforts or welcome offered by you or your staff. I truly wish I could be there.

However, there are two issues that have resulted in my decision not to attend. First, I have been a vocal opponent of 45’s regime, to the level that I fear having my personal electronics searched and seized and being detained on arrival. I also fear vanishing into the bowels of the US and being prevented from returning to my family. These may not be realistic fears, but since I have permanent residency abroad and am pursuing dual citizenship, I really don’t know how I will greeted on my arrival. In fact, even before 45’s election, I have been detained as a suspected drug mule, simply because I choose to live in Mexico. Given the current atmosphere, I am not optimistic about how well I will be treated.

Next, my second concern is this–I may not experience any trouble at all, because I am white, educated, female, and relatively affluent. In solidarity with immigrants and Muslims currently being persecuted, I cannot in good conscience attend events in a country that treats them so. Thus, my decision to withdraw is also political activism. I very much regret disappointing you, your staff, and my readers–when none of you have done a solitary wrong–but I hope everyone will understand my motivations. I am choosing this course after significant soul searching and again offer my apologies, along with profound regret that Hillary wasn’t elected, because if she had been, I’d be there with bells on.